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Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmAs A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir da Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. rrata :o palure, r\A □ 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 . " .^1 ADDRESS V PEUVERKD nr REV. G, H. ATKINSON, D. D., BEFOHK TIIK ®hamkv of €mmtm of the estate of §m-||ovk UrON THE POSSESSIOX, SETTLE.AIENT, CLIMATE AND RE- SOURCES OF OREGOX AND THE NORTH- WEST COAST, INCLUDING SOME REMARKS UPON ALASKA. DECEMBER 3d, 1868. JOHN W . A M E R M A N, PRINTER, No. 47 Ckdak Stheet. 1808. 4. A 31- r ADDRESS DELIVERED nY REV. G. H. ATKINSON, D. D., BEFORE THE €hmkx of «ommw« of the $UxU of llfiv-^foilt, urox THE POSSESSION, SETTLEMENT, CLLAIATE AND RE- SOURCES OF OREGON AND THE NORTH- WEST COAST, INCLUDING SOME REMx\RK^ UPON ALASKA. DECEMBER 3d, f868. Dfefo-gorh : JOHN W. AMERMAN, PRINTER, No. 47 Cedar Street. 1868. v^ — r^ ADDRESS DEMVEUKD BY I^ev. r)r. -A. T K: IKTSO isr. BEFOKE THE December 3d, 1868, UPON THE EESOUEOES OF THE NOETHWEST COAST. KEMARKS UY ^IR. WILMAir E. DODGE, PKESIDEXT OF THE CHAMBER. The Prosidoiit said: Members of tlic Clitmiber arc luvare of the presence in our city of Dr. Atkixsox, long a resident of Oregon, and knowing that lie had been requested to deliver an ad- dress in regard to its early history and the jtresent prospects of the Northwest Coast, together with some remarks with respect to Alaska, before the IJoards of Trade in Boston and other cities, he has been requested to address the Chamber of Commerce to-day upon these sul)jects. A knowledge of any thing connected witli the history and resources of our Northwest Coast and in relation to Alaska Avill be interesting to the merchants of New-York, Dr. Atkixsox has kindly assented, and is present, and with your per- mission Avill now i)roceed to address the Chamber. ADDRESS BY DR. ATKIXSOX. Mr. Presidext and Gextlemex of the CuA:\rBER of Commerce : I have to acknowledg-i the courtesy of your invitation to address you at this business hour upon the possession, settlement and re- 87480 sources of our Xorthwcst Const, including- some remarks upon Alaska. There is a reason wliy remarks ujion tlic possession should precede those upon tlie resources of the country. We liad a right to Oregon, whicli was our only possession on tlie Pacific Coast for many years, first by discovery of the Columbia lliver. According to tlie laws of nations, as commonly understood, discovery gives the right of possession; and the discovery of a river gives the right of possession to all the territory drained by the river ; which I believe was the main point m.ade by Mr. AVku- vSTKu in the final treaty concerning the Northwest bouiubiry. J)Ut had that failed, we had the right of possession by purchase of all the territory west of the ]Mississippi, clainu'd as Louisiana, by France, and i)urchased by ]Mr. JEKKKiiso.v, in 1804. Had that faili'd, we had the right of i)Ossession by purchase from Spain, in 181!), of all their i)ossessions, gained by discovery or in any other Avay, north of 42" north latitude. So that we had a three-fold right, as stated, if I remember correctly, by Mr. AVicustku, in the settlement of the boundary, any one of which Avas strong enough, for the region iu)rtli of 42'' and south of 49". The claim, indeed, was extended to 54*' 40', but it Avas not maintained. But i)ossessiou by right is very difl^c'rent from possession in fact. Gentlemen here pi*esent and other intelligent merchants and gentle- men of our country, are aware that that region of country Avas for a long time a terra incor/nita to most of the business world, and that the fur trading companies Avere among the first to establish liermanent possession upon that coast. The Northwest Company, having its head in Montreal; the Hudson's Bay Company, having its head in London, Avere tAvo of the older companies that extended their forts and trading ])osts across the continent to the Cohunbia liiver. There Avere other companies : the Southwest Company, Avith Avhich Mr. Astou had A'cry much to do, and the Pacific Company. Mr. Astou established his post at the mouth of the Columbia ear- liest, and at some other posts along the river, and he had a great deal of trading there, in the interest of the nation as well as for his own interest, thus co-operating Avitli the United States in posses- sing that region, which Ave had obtained by the right of discovery. The Hudson's Bay Company at length crowded out not only the XortliAvest Company's posts, but Mr. Astok's also, and changed the name of Astoria to Fort George, thus gaining a practical possession, having their forts all along the river. They laid a claim, on behalf of England, of course, to Oregon, Avhich Avas maintained until the final claim A^as settled. The next power tliat comes in is tlie Indian missionary power. INfany years aj^o, about IS.T.T or 1H31, some Indians crossed llie con- tinent asking i'-n' the Avliite niairs (iod. Some missionaries of the IMethodist Episcopal Church and of the American Uoard went out across the continent to teacli them, l>eyond the Ilocky ^Fountains, a!i(l heyond tlie Cascade ^Mountains. J)r. Wiiitmav was one of these men. lie Avent from vour own State. IFe was an iiitelliecially that part of the country lately taken off to form Idaho. Dr. Wiin'.UAV, knowing these facts, saw th.at there was not only a strong motive but a plan to secure actual i)ossession by settlers. Statements were made and repeated that Americans never could cross the IJocky ^Mountains in wagons and go down to the Columbia IJiver; while etforts were made to settle the country from the Ked Tviver. Perhaps some of you will remember tliat one or two of the British Reviews declared that Americans never could reach the Columbia in wagons ; that they must reach tlie country by way of Cape Horn, if at all ; but the English could settle it from the I'ed Rivi-r. That was the i»lan in 1841, about the time that Sir GKor.<;E Simpson', as Governor of the Honorable Hudson's Hay Company, passed through the territory into the Columbia vallev. Tlu- first large emigration froni the Red River to settle upon that coast occurred in 1841. Dr. ^y^ITMA^', in 1842, ])re«5ented that matter to his brethren in the mission, and said : "We must have an American emigration or lose Oregon. It will be impossible otherwise to save it. I'lans ai-e already in operation to secure this territory in the interest of a for- eign power, althotigh it belongs to us Americans." He Avas willing to go himself and bring the emigration. The nu>mbers of the mis- sion said: "Xo, we must attend to our special Avork, and let the government take care of its OAvn matters ; we cannot attend to its atlairs." 6 r^vlv in tho autumn of 1P4., .n ^, ,,«,, on son»c ^i >»^« /• .t ihc fort. atU>nan..4tl>('n, I "H ^^ ^v-.-a.le is ^j,,a\n.n- '-^V i ore came a l.or.U, say...;.r, "^ J,,a an- " '\Mcvt was tno n«)iiii pWi-r ;ui'l ''■'* '^" :*-•-' ^t:;::.:: --!:--; :!i:rr:;;;r::i::4r-;^;;::>:::^:::-^ """ Vuvvor he reached Mis.our. n. tl.e las. cla> "''l^t'o^ ^t^^^^'^^' ''''\ ho M Wen inMUU-luj. al.out the Pa- ^■'ll^ i;.und gentlemen there -1- ^ ^ J^^ ',.^ ., . y,s, hut we cific coast, ll^'^a*^*' , .,:,t , oast Avith our ^va:J;oH.. / •^" -^ 1 ^nM-vveh. Beready, an.liNM .^^ ^e civme on to lio ready iu .>»''i^ "• -i , ,,,. iainuK'>. ^i^ , \r.,sl>u»ot()u :ind sa\\ ^Hi- ^\ ' . ^Vi.,,stku says: I na\c U^u his ohjects and h. — j ^^.^^ ^^.^.^,^._ ,,,,,,, 'vrned that Avagons cannot leach t c ^^^^ ^ .^^ .onvsj.ondentH ^r" -ou.^^ S...SO. Is heve, -' f ^^ ^ ^,, ,,.,,, tnulln, Oregon n , fl.nt fact An<^ ^'"^ ''''^y ' ' 1 1 - Air ^VmTMAX says : ,^echu-e ; ^^ 'If •^.^^^^..u.s of Kewfoundland. ^^-J^ Co\nM^. for the Kugli'^'^ "^'" ' Ouv wa<^ons can reaeU me ^ 'I hope you win not do vt. Out >^ a ^.^^^ Newfoundland 1 T rec ard it as worth a great deal n ^^^^ c<.lumhui. ?^l:i;^.us.KuMtsuretV.t^^-^^r;^^ ^^^^, ^^,, ,,, ,. ^p.Wurr..x then y-t ^^',,,,, ,,, ,,,,e things; na .tnrv Tresldent i\^^-^^ ^•^''^ , ,^, come on this miouT-^U WHcvc you i una .t you w.U C'd I on tliis lovci* to tlic CoIuinl)i;i IJiviT, I Ik' It.uiruin shall nol lir mailo." (Tlitso facts I liiiV(! iVum a siirviv iiit; missioiiarv. \h\ Whitman hiiiiKi'lf, ami all Ills faiuily, wiMv kill< tro tlu ic. hut they liave sold their w a;4ons to nu, and liave gone down with their horses to the Culumltia IJiver. 1 Avill do the >anie by you.'''' They worn in tears, many of them. Ti^'-y were like j)ersons wrecked in mid-ocean. Tliey had travelh'd many months. Jf they were to g ) lorwird, they could not tell whetlier tliey slioidd reach tlic settlements, and it was too l.,(e to go l>ack at that time of the year. J)r. AViirrMAx, who hai>|>emHl to he away at tlie time, found them in that state. He said to them: "]My couiitrymen,! have led von thus far safelv. If vou will trust me, I will lead vou to the Colund)ia liiver with your wagons and families.''' On consultation, they trusted him, "^l he Doctor '•vent forward and j1ut stakes down at needed points !is guides for tliem to ibllow, ami they found the hest way they could. Seiuetimes tliey let thi'ir wagons down over precii)ices; l)ut iinally they got down to the region of the Lewis IJiver, commonly called the Snake Kiver. 'J'here they were met ]>y a com j)any of Indians from^Mr. SrAULDiNtrsstiition, who re({uested his. Dr. AViirrNrAN's, medical attendance at the North- west ; and he said that the Indian; would take them along. He went and attended as a uu'ilical adviser at Mr. SrAUhDixci's, and the Indians took the comi)any down, as p]x-Governor I>uunett, of Cali- fo.'uia, who was one of the company, said, Ly a better route than the Doctor had found, because he did not know the best routes. They stopped at the Doctors staiion, 24 miles from the Columbia Eiver, and there they Avere refreshed. Doctor "WnrrArAx, on leaving home the previous autumn, ordered his employes to provide food for them ; for he knew that many of them Avould be without food, and would need rest and refreshment. There they refreshed themselves, and changed their worn ^,ut 1 '.i:rtl,em But it should I'^J-^ '^\Lanely and „.n,pathi/.ed with tl.em ,^ y,^y *"°" "^^ " 1 and children-. Es, Chief l''»'"";,f f , eued the eaptivc won » ^_^,^,„„ -i.h great rro-i;" -Vovemher 7,1847 1- - ^^^^,^y ,„,, That massacre ^^^ ™ a^eksktuv ; ^"' 'f,?„o,,es8ionof that .var, eonteted hy t.o- ,___^_^,^^„„,„oaanaheiavo»- that thermted States „ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ tcrritovy. .1 „f various ctiorts nttoinntedtlns Gentlemen are a«- « ^ ^ President Jackson attcmp ^^^^ many years to sc-cureCahfor.^^^^^ made » -^"^^a,' At in 1835. Mr. i'"'"^'^?' ° ,o„dic and secl.onal than " ^^^^.^^^ l,,..e efthrts were rather spo ^^.^_^^^^ ^^1'"'- " . ,1"„.„ont was *"■■' ^-"^ '^niVi-e- coast a.;<';^--/:o^,:;«c manner. 1'°''^'^'^'"^°^;^ explorations, wh.ehl'S,f;;;,^ and Commodore scut over to make e 1 ^^^ ^r. 1 >; ■>">^ officers, were Tl,„ Mexican wa. came ^^ ^^^^^^ ^„,^,„, States ^^ ^,^^ 9 Trn After the settlement of the Mexican war, and after we had gained actual military possession of California, Laving purchased it, although we had conquered it ; liaving got it in actual possession by treaty also, and put our flag over it, then it was, as it woukl seem, that God i(7icovered the (/old, hi 184S. You know the effect everywhere. I was on that coast at the time, and it had tlie same effect upon us. It is a most wonderful fact, that tlie gold Avas uncovered in the very sands and brooks near where tlio trappers and hunters liad carried on their traffic ; and emigrants had even taken some of those jieb. bios, and pounded them on their wagon wheels, and found tliera malleable, and did not know what they Avcre. There have Ijcen two or three efforts to find the spot where they found those pebbles, but thus far in vain, although they liave found similar places all around that region. The providential fact we see now is, that God saved that coast for us, and hence it was liidden fi*om the eyes of men generally, until Ave had got actual possession not only of Oregon but of California. He then uncovered it, and seemed to say : " It in for you Americaiisy It Avas given to us by the providence of God. It AA'as one of the pivotal points in our history, but Ave did not even then know why it Avas. Society Avas upset. Business Avas changed. IMen Avent there Avith fortunes and lost them ; and men Avent there Avithout fortunes, and gained them on that coast. You could not by any possible argu- ment control tliem. They Avent from the east and from the Avest, from all the States of this Union, from every country in Europe, from CA'cry portion of the Pacific coast doAvn to Chili, from every island of the sea, from China and the East Indies. It drew men there Avith a most poAverful force, like a miglity magnet drawing evervthinsr to itself. It chancfcd tlie entire features of commerce. We did not understand it. The miners dug faithfully in the deep ravines, and our statistics show^ that the gold came in at the rate of about fifty millions per annum on the average. At last the storm cloud of civil Avar burst upon us. "VVe had to liaA^e armaments, and fleets, and munitions of w\ar, and provisions, and all those means Avith Avhieh to carry on war successfully. We had to stretcii our credit, and Ave must have some backing for it. We must have some poAver that Avoiild assure it. And noAV avc have learned to see that God gave us those millions of gold, and brought them safely to tliis metropolis of the nation, so that the credit of the nation might be sustained. We had to buy munitions of Avar ; and the miners upon that coast Avere God's servants in sending to us 10 O'-'^*''- , .Ivcn ua t\,at corvst, not <»' 5" ^' „,' „„t only to ««- 0,e rvcsevv.tUn> o sU to .ay, tl.at -^^ , \;,T -..tevost of any vf^^^"^^, G„a ,vl,iel. conrt.tntcs a ro' ,,^„^ „f ,„o„ 1 cl o ,^..y„,u tas tln■o^vn npon tl>at ooa^ Voul.ave H.at el-a.a^tc. ^^^_. ^ to a large extent V. J^ ^,„„,,, The gv- - .^,,,,;,i „,a ,„ge,- tev"to.-y, o' ^'';;„„„, affiliation. !■« 1- ' .,,^, ^..-oees. *"-^ • r"„, «1 o onv .oUtioal ^y^'-u av tl e - . ^^__^,^^^ ., Viennial contacts ux ^ .^eutsave tusetiu)^ ^.^.^^^^ W .lucMl-e .nco-^- ->;, ^„„e,ean el.avac^. ^^^^^ ^.„„. *ey l^eeome n ouWe ^^^^^^^ *'-■>- """';' i\;'u.,u to feel tl'C ^vl.atevei- qna.ta ot togetl.or, a h1 ">,,!,•,. Tliat ^«vsonallnl^> = t o.attl.ci « '^'- . ,„i-„„„l gun. ' ^ m o,lant element, ttat tl>ci « ^ ^„„j-„„„l gun isavevyimroitai , ,, „ation. 1"'9 is .,,„i „f i\,c liolili- This is an nnpo. ta.^ Ue ^^^^^,^ .^ ,,„ „^, ,. t a, »,,„,„ of tl>at people, ^^-f "'i:!^! ,,ave been tl.eve t^ven i'^" „„, \)cat there is prccistij 11 'I! went up or down, and as the thrill of joy or of agony swept ove you, so Avc felt it. When the 3Ionitor saved your sliii)pinir, onv liearts felt as yours felt, that it was our vietory and our joy, as it was yours. AVhcn Gen. Gkaxt and our corps of nohlc officers " fuught it out on this li^i(>,-' our hearts and hopes were with them. "Wo have gained a possession in other respects there. Education and religion arc going on, not jxtri ^x/.9.s?< with business. 1 Avish they were going on with etpial i)aee Avitli husiness and connncree, for wo have gained power largely in coninierce. American shij)s sweep the Facihc to a very wide extent. Foremost for many years to promote our national interest, as well as their own, and to give prestige to our merchant nuirine on those seas, fiave heen the Pacific Mail Stcainshi[) Comj)any's lines. Lately, the California, 3rc.\ican aiion the slope of the Paeiiic a territory of over l,-tOO,00() scpuirc miles, nearly twice as large as all Kuroj)e^ Russia excepted. Gtn. HAr.r.Kt.K R'ports that he has 12,7oO statute miles of sea-coast, in- cluding th(^ islands under his care, and including Alaska. " The States and territories along the coast alone," says ]\[r. Ckoxisk, in his book on tiie Xatural Wealth of California, "including Alaska, com- ])rise i\n area of 894,229 S(piare miles, which is larger than all the Xew-Kngland, Middle and Western States, or nearly e.ot ulNvay ^'^''' cart!., »»iV.ytl'« "•'',,„ ^,„ao^in'l' ,,; tl.c vovolut.on »' ^^° .;,o,a;cd^vatc.r. ^»^''';.„.a, tl,c ton-id ,.onc and «°«»"\ „," TaUc tl.at g-oat »"« "' ' ; „l,o» it .ay towa,;d.^tl,e ,^- ^^ ^^ latUu^o, - ^f „;',,„ •„, ,„a a con- audcovenng -l " = a constant cm. onl , •„„ ,„„,-c .-ai-.d n eontmually, and yo«j^ j„„,, cnv.-ont, '« > = ^^^^^ ,,.0 -""""■"Mr .0 volntion of t>- ?-;//, „a, jnst as tl.c Us sta.t...g tlantl ,j „, ^ ''°"''"\ ' „„tine>.t as a so..tl.- i„.,.o..t f.-o.n t.o ^"-U,.^ ^^^^ ,^ ^ ^n ^. ^^^ „e l,„vUo,. go...S -^' ,;.„ ^,„ ,amo tlung on 0^^ , „„, ,,„,t,o.. back agam, - .° V„a Japa,., vassn.g "" ') ^^ I .on^vav.nc■.-va.cv ot it i.ass...S *'r', portion st.iV..,g n.'^ ^.,,„„,, ,,acV to tl.c e-l-ato'-- l^'Tnodovatcs tl'^ -'^^"■™ "J^,,, ,nnst somevvl.oro also, tl..s cuvie. t ot ^^ j,,,,, ,, c l.a% ^^^.^^,^ j,,,^^. of ..ton..ta.''^- ' '"': „,,.x of l-owcv Cal.fo.n.a, ^^^^ ^,,„ ng ..P a'o"S;!- r^r :. l,l..fl-...g..-':'"! ;;n Ua T'^a^ '« ".- lino oxtonOi.i,, i ^,_^ ,^^^.(,st stiatu fi«tV.,.c,and c. ^^ ^^._^ ^^^^-j ,„„,, _^ ^^^^ ^ tain8,alUbcsamcran„, I 13 distant from it, from Mexico to Alaska. These are about 7,000 foot high in California ; in Oregon, ahout 4,500 feet ; and as you go north, they aie still lower. Out of them spring mountains 12,000 to 15,000 feet high, and always covered with snow. This second breastwork of mountains of course catches the next stratum of this vapor, and the water is deposited as rain or as snow. I found on careful measurement that the rain fall at Oregon City, for the years 1849, 1850 and 1851, averaged from 37 to GO inches per annum. Hence you liave, upon the mountains over Avhich the Pacific Central llail-ltoad passes, hirge deposits of rain and snow. As that region is so liigh it catclies Large quantities. They must liave sheds for forty miles, as reported, upon that rail-road, to protect it in win- ter. This is one of the experiments -which they are now trying. As you go further north the mountains are 5,000, 4,000 and 3,000 feet high, catching less moisture as you pass towards the northeast. About GOO or 800 miles from the ocean you have the chain of the Rocky ]\[ountains, rising to a height of about V,000 or 8,000 feet, Svith many depressions, Avhich are much lower. These mountains will catch the moisture M'hich has gone over the Nevadas, and de- posit it in the foi'm of rain or snow. In the winter this vapor of course will strike the earth at a lower latitude than in the summer; for as the earth turns northward, so to speak, in the Avinter, it must strike further south. The first range takes a large part of the moistui'c ; the second range takes more, and the two leave comparatively little for the 1 tocky Mountains ; Avhile the lower regions of country, east of the Xevadas, Avill be a rainless desert, like the peninsula of Cali- fornia. Here Ave have the basis of the great resources of the Northwest. The moisture and the Avarm air from the south give us a niild tem- perature, so that I luiA^e had in my garden grass in midwinter; and Ave had, Avintcr before last, an inch only of ice, and last Avinter only six or eight inches, and I am at 45'^ 35'. Last Avinter aa'c had from four to six inches of snow, and some Avinters avc have scarcely any. You find that the isothermal line of your OAvn city passes so far north on the western coast as to reach above 49° up tOAA'ards Alaska. You find on our coast a climate like the European climate, only that it soeuis to be ui)on a scale made peculiar by the conformation of the mountains. The clinuite on the coast is very salubrious in sum- mer, mild and humid in Avinter, and also healthy. That of the interior is Avarni in summer, dry and bracing in Avinter, and ahvays 'healthy. The best lumber and the grandest forests upon the 14 „, Tlu^ moisture gives _ ♦ho Tacific coast, a' , ...,, or twelve American conf-nt -c-r-'^^^ fc^t l.-.^'V-t^r o C^^V,fov.ua t the ,.-t tree, -'J f j^^sts extend at .M« ^^ __ ^,„ ,,„,.,. ot IffectcUu tl'e '*»«"' ^VJ^^,.. have tl.c ""''f ,"°ii,„,„ yo» t.m> „eea«.e the .nount^am ^^ ^^^.^,^^, j 500 o. ^.___^^,^. i,«t ,„.y little t.™!"--';'^; 6„a it vevy >^*" W,*" '„ fi„a »ove timV,ev, „„„u the vail-toad, they ^^^ „ovt > >ou ^^.^„, i,,,m. X fi"-l '^ g--'"' '"' 'ave over ami tl,e ^.1°"''; X,'V,UUoriUa o. lenee It « ^^^X^„ it i. still ''^■«- ,' , r^ ^u.l-^ -'" '; ^;,va.la,am^m^^a^l' = ^^^^j^,.^_ y„„ V ^t of tV'. CaseaAe, are timWr gives gv,^s ■« , ^^^ ^^,,,uo^.. ^ t <- ^^ ^^^^^^^, ,.„„ „ there ami .emlmg t > ' ..,^.,,1,.^, ami tt - ^,^y^.M the same Ingl' S >':';"' ^,, ^ cl»>»"» ''*''''' that tl« I"^^'""' .'vion. nenee >t < , ""^ ,,A to «f . , t ^^^ ^^^^, ^„,„. o't state, !>«'.- '-;^;^Vwmg tl>e wl.olo w-Me ■. J^^ ,„,^ ,„,t they can Ueev .l-.r '»-« 'i„teWgeut ^^^-^f^^^^ he Caseade range nrern,,aslngl>a»*»; ^^^.^ ^"^'''^'".ftor winter, saymg '■•■'? r''T::Uy M--ins, ■■ereatemy.J-- ^ ^„,„,„., .n.l clr-e^ i t„erc is tl.e -[ ;:^^\;:„-a,ly ^vlt. snow ^,„„ „„, „,.ass in «lnt«-"°; ° , „ives ns the cereals ,• ^,,^,^ ,„„,t. ' What gives "s g'»^'^= eoMlnent Las -^O"^ , „-„,s us the t'-' the i^est -.- ;^,,,„„ gives us S-- '^'t.l forth eereals It is the very elnnate vv ,,,„,„s *° ,^„^,„„ .,nu,un s-. eereals, "-1. f >^ " .Uuet of goUl, ^verr u > ^^^^^^ ,^,„„t,on ,„nost ---l-\;°^ ,/tl>e same. '"'^ J-^f '« ' nrilV.ons ofV.-'- and Oregon is don. estnnated, hve ,8„o,tl>efe» Z Oregon Lave •''"'*«': "'ion of lumber is no 'es'..; ^_ ^^^^^^,, \- h^it ■ and the produeUoir ^^^^^.,_ „, h. . 1 ^^ ol wheat, • . .,,,,n,.hood ot Inge'' = . „,„,v,niT snars, 1""-^' ,„i,l, iu tUe ""Sl !>» f i;„.„, of feet, melml , ^.^,.„. the s»nt out four imm-aj ^^ ^^^ B"1'P0«; *''*^v,ntatie law g-es .tnd sawed UimV., an ^^„,„ g,i. t ^,^^^„ ,„.„. export will fall ^« "^ ^ ^a fruits, and m ^u -.^ ^^_^^^ . ,^„,,„, y- ^""'"r^y aW»*- '^''° 'Cd n ^rantlty and .uaUty. 16 Now, a word with regard to the snows of tlio Xorth. Gontlonipn have raised the question, whether there is not very niucli more snow in tlie Oregon than in tlie California mountains ? Tlie very nature of that immense southern boundary of mountains, 7,000 fe-et higli, will ' cause a deposit of moisture from tho air flowing northeastward froni the Pacific, in tho form of rain or of snow, and therefore it is that they have snow to a great depth, so that the emigrants have some- times travelled in winter among the branches of the trees in the deep ravines, and have heon astonished at the amount of snow. These mountains have caused the deposit of so much of the moisture of the air ])assing over them, that after it has passed over them there is less moisture, and therefore less snow to fall, as Governor Stkvkns correctly stated. The residt will be, that the Northern llail-Koad will not bo impeded by snow to an extent any thing like that of the Central Pacific IJoad, As the northern barriers of tl»e Coast and Cascade ranges are lower, the deposits of vapor are distributed over a wider area, and thus are more e(iualized. One more point, to Avhich I wish to call your attention, and that is, the development of that country in relation to commerce. This has gone on Avith wonderful rapidity. The rail-roads them- selves, that have been projected towards our coast, especially the Union and Central Pacific, on which the builders display so much wisdom and energy, for Avhich grants of land have been pro- posed, seem to me not at all to conflict with each other. All of them are necessary to develop such an immense region of coun- try. The Union and Central Pacific will develop regions which the Xorthern or Houthern Pacific cannot affect. In like manner they will each open to settlement and business sections indepen- dent of each other. Whatever remarks, therefore, I have made, are not to be taken as invidious toward any particular line of rail- road. Every one is important. We have no need to assume that there are conflicting interests between them; for all will have a local business by developing the country along its own route, and all M'ill thus do well. But it is proper to speak particularly of the two (jnind lines, w/tich noio rush towards each other, and approach con)j)letton, the Zliion Pacific and Central Pacific Pail-Jioads. T/iese two 2)ioneers, whicfi sj)an the continent and loiite t/ie oceans, jyrotnisinf/ to put the conunerce of Asia, America and Europe upon a new course, and to develo]) it into grander proportions, deserve a natio)ih praise as well as a nation\H aid. Already every section of our country feels the stimulus- of this grand and united Atlantic 1 cr the route, and cspe- The vesu\t mu ' ^ 'Lw ° vcatc- a."""'"' "' \^,a xv.aW.y States, mountains ami of vastly , ^_^^^ l'ol'"'»»\'"r; ' „e m .-cn-^-' *" T„oy «m give - «;;-^:a : „, „„« s-vt t « » ">•"- "" r foR-.gu <=■>"""';"' V f...- tl.-.s voason. H i ^^,^^,^j., ,„,,st, a\rt,mco to «'"'»;"! „cc from ^'''"•^"'■^.' ' Vu.ct's S«".-l I'! ti»s "">'.'i^-" X" »«» '""'■"'. "" .ally 0^^ ""''»^- '''■"'■ to tl.c I'aoihc, B *""^ ^ ,«v is v'-o^>'i'''5' ji,is state" Svla, tlte a;s;;'- :r ; „o e, e**^ ^rr U.:g-toltclo r,Vvl.ieU can Je v^.t^^ ^ L.^y ^ ^^ f:'*'-" ™ V^-- »>""^-,'? front tlte lino o I a.u ^^ W^f-'^;";-" on that front CaU- Callfovni^t. O'Tf "'l '„ tl at coast. It « '"/;,,,„ rugot's Homul fornia tl,o ^"^"f^^r^ the L'ovthev" r"-I. :'^ country -, ""^^ '''?'■-";, „,,,ev. , „„,e„t ftmn the Tae.fic raelfie at that l- ' ' , ^^i, u,at the ?■-*, ' f ,nnth tl-eve, and The fact, as 1 !'• ^"^ ^,^,„,i,„. Islan.ls u- c.^ ._^^^,.^,^^ ,„ „„sscs north thvongh he ^^_^^^ ,, „ „„c , 'gives valnc to that hol^ = ^^^^^^^^ 1>- f^'^.^e ..ccUea ahove, favo.- o' tl"'* Tl si of theaOvantages hatl m ^^ ,^^,,^yy Alaska has also so, c ^^^,^ f,„, eo pl.c ^ ^ ^^^ ,^y ^^ for - '-«;'"!' "interest vUl V>e S'-^'/ :',,„„ current of „oU.«l»to*l"^ ''cation ,vUh AlasUa. ^'^^^^,t „acls tvarmth ^ore ready ">'""" J X,. warmtlUo our o.ncms^^^ ^^^^ ,,„chIlntvespoU ; j- .,^,,^^,.^ ., the Sr.^t - ^^^ ^_^^^ to that whole icm ,t, cN^eeirt the C" j.,,iaos,the largest, rerha,.s, on tha ^^_^^^^^,,^^^ °''™, ^ --ny years. If " river ntust drain a '•' = ^ j.,.„,„ that region to. ^^,,. ,;,.» of peltries gatl'cii" m-i.c coil, salmon ami ,, 6iiv>lilies 01 1 country. H'" '„«t.mt source ot Miavm- cate the value of ti.e ^^ ^,^ ^ c"""*'" ' , ;, ,vorth, u. my 1 have detainca j^ 17 ilicato sonic of tho views with respect to our Western and North- western coast, which I eonsiih-r worthy of n our consideration. I thank you for the kind invitation whieli vou liave jxiveu me. anil for your courtesy in listenini;- so long- to my remarks. [ l)ave* called your attention to a largo section of our vast national domain, too Ijriefly and too cursorily to Mvr.iXG, and unanimously adopted: Resoli^ed, That the thanks of the Chamber be presented to Dr. Atkinson* for the full and instructive address delivered before them to-day, and that lie be requested to furnish a copy of the same to the Chamber for publication. Note. — At the close of the address, A. A. Low, Esq., inquired whether the government had recognised the great deeds of Dr. WiiiT.MAK by any suitable memorial ? The ansAver was, No. Dr. WiiiT.ArAN and wife sleep in a little mound at "Waiilatpu, near the spot on which they were massacred, Avith no suitable monument as yet to mark their graves. But a surviving fellow missionary, Rev. C. Eells, of Walla Walla, W. T., Avitii a few other gentlemen, have established Whit- man Seminary near by, and they are striving to make it a living and a fruitful monument of the spirit and jDurposes of this noble missionary in the mental and moral culture of the children and youth of that region of rich valleys, plains and mountains. I am authorized to say, that liev. Mr. Eells and the other trus- tees will gratefully receive and faithfully appropriate any funds which either individuals, societies, or the government may wish to give " Whitman Seminary," to promote its growth and usefulness. It ought to become W^hitnian College, and thus bo the nursery of noble principles and noble characters, the mental and moral light- house for all that region in all future generations. Hon. W-u. E. Dodge, 19 Cliff Street, or Rev. Tiieron Baldwix, D. D., Secretary of the College Society, 42 Bible House, is willing to receive and transmit any donations to that Seminary. G. H. Atkinson. /I